


Trying Again

by ofiutt



Category: Akira (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:48:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26648536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ofiutt/pseuds/ofiutt
Summary: Tetsuo encounters an old friend.
Relationships: Kaneda Shoutarou/Shima Tetsuo
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	Trying Again

Kaneda climbed over ramshackles of various collapsed buildings and other forms of decay that the shorter boy seemed to have induced, the weapon strapped to his chest almost hanging loosely under the bent arch of his arm. The sounds of his steps couldn’t seem to avert Tetsuo’s gaze to him just yet until his voice broke the silence.

“What’s wrong? Have some trouble?” Kaneda smirked, approaching the other with the slight spread of his arms in provocation. “Yeah, but I already took care of it. If you were here earlier, you could've watched the show.” Tetsuo retorted, one of his satiated eyes twitching slightly and the taller boy felt distant woe at what the former had become (albeit he would never display such a thing, especially in front of Tetsuo).

“You had me worried again. I figured you’d be standing here, sobbing like a little baby.” The shorter boy bestowed him with a malicious snarl Kaneda deemed to be quite ill-suited lately. “Kaneda, you've always been a pain in the ass. You've been telling me what to do ever since we were kids. You always treat me like a _kid_. You always show up and start bossing me around!”

Tetsuo’s fists clenched at his sides and he twisted his face away briefly. “And now you’re a boss, too… Of this pile of rubble.” The remark evoked an immediate furrow of his brows as well as a hefted sweep of his dismantled cape. “ _Kaneda!_ ”

Kaneda winced briefly at the sound of his name from the other’s mouth. Now, Tetsuo used to yell his name out in reminder of their departure somewhere, or occasionally whenever they would go for a ride with the rest of the gang... under certain circumstances. Yet the motive behind this particular scream sent a pang through his heart (as corny as it sounded).

“That’s _mister_ Kaneda to you, punk!” Tetsuo's fists slackened into tense curls of his palms and his cape was now floating violently behind him in emphasis of his roused power. “ _Die!_ ” The tumble of the shorter boy’s body down the hill of decrepits replaced Kaneda's sorrow with increasing frustration as his attempts to rout the other failed repeatedly.

“Tetsuo! Son of a-” He distantly percepted a girl lying at her side in apparent unconsciousness, and his eyes widened in revelation. “Kei!” Kaneda fleetingly overlooked his bile with the shorter boy until turning his behold back to him. “Oh _hell_ , let’s do it!” In the midst of repeated dodges from Tetsuo’s nearly inundating attacks, Kaneda managed to have the time to unleash an attack of his own from the ordnance by his side that had pierced through the former.

Tetsuo momentarily stood there, simply ruminating before frantically inspecting the visible wound and grinning in eventual realization. Kaneda attempted to shoot another laser towards him before stumbling back in panic. “Huh?” he tested it once more, “the battery!”

“What’s the matter, Kaneda?” The taller boy slung the weapon beside him and grit his teeth, overcome with indignation. “Goddamn it! This ain’t _fair_ , Tetsuo!” He pushed up the hem of his forearm’s sleeve and raised his fists in a swaying motion to further incite the shorter boy. “Fight with your bare hands!”

The latter smirked in believed triumph and took one step forward. “Oh, this is funny… Feeling frustrated, Kaneda? Now do you understand how it feels?” Kaneda squeezed his eyes shut until they hurt. He wanted to sink between the various spoliations that he once called his city. He wanted Tetsuo to fracture the bones that upheld his figure if it meant not witnessing his friend to continue going down this path.

The ascendancy that displayed across the Tetsuo’s face quickly shifted to confusion as Kaneda approached him once more, unarmed with a softened expression that the former deemed rather unusual. Kaneda climbed over dismantled material with half-lidded eyes and soon enough walked in the direction of a riveted Tetsuo, whose rapid thoughts scampered across his corrupt mind in an effort to decide what to do next.

The taller boy sedately drew closer with a countenance that Tetsuo could describe none other than distress and general sadness.

 _It sort of reminded him of Kaori_.

Tetsuo was about to assail him with impending potency until he felt himself being pulled by the upper arm as lips were soon abruptly pressed against his, and he couldn’t find it in himself to break free.

Kaneda noted his hesitance and grazed his arms across the other’s back, opening his mouth to further deepen the kiss as his eyelids remained tightly closed. An overwhelming sense of dejection instantly flooded the shorter boy with hot tears beading through the corner of his eyes and he collapsed in front of Kaneda, separating himself from the latter in the process as a series of choked sobs escaped his mouth.

Tetsuo repeatedly wiped away leaking tears from his face with the blunt of his palm while he watched Kaneda kneel beside him through misty-eyed vision. The taller boy settled down next to him and cradled Tetsuo with limp arms as the other cried noisily before hearing the distant call of his name.

“Hey! Kaneda!”


End file.
